Tentacle-Free Anime: "I''s Pure"(2005) Review

I like a nice love story as much as the next kitten-eyed boy does, a strong emotional tug that pulls at the heartstrings and the areas of my soul in which I don’t usually show. Because I’m a guy, of course. And so while I love action, intriguing story ideas and grandiose adventure, I always have to return to Earth some time in my heart and mind and remember that when it comes right down to it, I’m a big ‘ole romantic at heart. Which I think a lot of us are deep down.

I''s Pure (2005); Episodes: 6; Studio: ARMS; Director: Mamoru Kanbe;

Summary:Seto Ichitaka has a crush on Iori, a girl in his class who has become so popular she now has her own fan club at school. But only a miracle could make him be with her, since the day he first saw Iori, Ichitaka has been too shy to even talk to her. This miracle happened and now he and Iori are working together on the Freshmen Welcome Party. It seems that things start to look bright for Seto, but then a special childhood friend is coming for a visit... [AnimeNewsNetwork.com]

I’’s is one of my favorite manga for it’s up front and out there attitude of “this is what the story is about and this what you’re going to get” when it introduced me to Ichitaka’s world. That story, as you can read above is about a love between Iori and Ichitaka, beginning early on in their high school life and it continues throughout into their adulthood. But in the manga this culminates into a 15 volume story, with admittedly some long, drawn-out plots and the ever-so-usual usage of the main protagonist being too much of a scaredy cat to show off his true feelings until the end. But it’s within the ending that I feel the story takes that usual trope and flips it on its head, that makes everything up until the final book feel necessary and refreshing.

I''s Pure dvd cover.

So when I discovered there was an anime of this (there are in fact two, but this is the only one that is an adaptation of the manga), I jumped right on it. At first, when I discovered it would only be 6 episodes I almost cringed, considering they were condensing 15 books into 6 half-hour time slots. I was thoroughly surprised then when the anime smartly used a piece from later in the books to tell the events of the first half by having Ichitaka look back on his life and the choices he made to see how things went but could’ve gone better.

It really gives the story a sense of feeling and scope by allowing us into Ichitaka’s heart from the get-go. The anime also smartly cuts out a lot of the fluff material from the manga, going straight for the main story and using the bits needed to tell the best cohesive story in a short amount of time. The events of the past do eventually catch up with the events of the future or “present” so that we can send the characters out in style as we’ve watched them grow up on screen.

The anime isn’t without its detractions though, as it also incorporates some of Icihitaka’s fantasies from the manga (fantasies about the main females of the series) as risque shorts at the end of each episode, kind of like end credit scenes. They really come out of nowhere, and those not familiar with the source material would find themselves drowning in confusion of why they’re even watching this. They’re enough to push someone who came in for a serious love story away immediately. Although the main story also has its own risque moments, they’re certainly not as bad as the end credits scenes. I also do not mind the in-story risque scenes because, as the story progresses, it shows how “immature” the characters (and the story) are at first, so by the end both the story and the characters have 'grown up' and panty-shots and censored nude scenes pretty much become non-existent.

Iori and Ichitaka.

The voice acting isn’t that great. I really think they could have done a better job dubbing this series into English. It’s almost unbearable and I would probably suggest watching it subbed. The animation is really well done, the characters and sets look crisp and vibrant and the usage of white space in the opening is pretty good in my opinion.A few people I know, who have watched the show or read this manga, have specified that they don’t really like the characters for the majority of the series, but I really don’t find any of them that annoying or acting differently than normal human beings. Ichitaka is an immature, bullied, introvert that has to learn to grow out of his shell. Iori doesn’t really know how to be around guys as much as she thinks and can’t process her feelings correctly. In my opinion the story’s biggest shortcoming is the fact, that it takes the characters a long time to just say their true feelings for one another.

Ichitaka unsure of what he sees.

Whether it’s 6 episodes or 15 books, in reality we’re taught if you want to go out with someone, just be honest to them about your feelings, and see how it goes. For too long this story draws out the fact we know both of these character like one another, and that they really just need to come out and say it. Regardless, it’s still a very strong love story in my opinion and worth a look. Either for the risque material, if you’re into that, or the emotional bonds that will be forged throughout this experience.Final Score: 3.5 Panty Shots out of 6

Have you seen "I''s Pure"? Enjoyed the review? Let us know in the comments!